IDEX 2021: Tawazun and MBDA to cooperate on SmartGlider development.

Tawazun and MBDA have signed a head of terms agreement with the intent to cooperate in the field of smart guided weapon systems.

SmartGlider (Picture source: MBDA)

Matar Ali Romaithi, Chief Officer of the Economic Development Unit at Tawazun and Florent Duleux, Group Export Sales Director at MBDA, signed the document during this year’s IDEX exhibition in the presence of H.E. Tareq Abdulraheem Al Hosani, CEO of Tawazun and Eric Béranger, CEO of MBDA.

The aim is to create a long-term partnership between Tawazun and MBDA, enabling the development of the SmartGlider  weapon systems from design to production phase.

A joint team of engineers from both sides, the majority from Tawazun, will be in charge of development studies. They will be operating from MBDA’s first regional Missile Engineering Centre established in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Following the signing, Matar Al Romaithi stated: “We are pleased with our significantly growing relationship with MBDA. This agreement allows us to extend and increase our areas of co-development and co-production of technologically advanced defense products. Collaborating with MBDA will reinforce our commitment to contributing to the development of defense and security industries in the UAE, to building national capabilities, and to supporting the growth of local supply chains.”

During the pre-development phase, the two entities will study several concepts before reaching a development phase. The intention being to offer an optimal system at the right price and with the right performance, leveraging the capabilities of the UAE defense industry.

Éric Béranger, CEO of MBDA, said: “We are delighted to begin this unique cooperation with one of our long-standing customers, supporting their ambition to grow their domestic defense industry and enabling the development of an outstanding next generation weapon system.”

This head of terms is part of the bilateral cooperation agreement signed between France and the UAE.

Éric Béranger, CEO of MBDA, said: “We are delighted to begin this unique cooperation with one of our long-standing customers, supporting their ambition to grow their domestic defense industry and enabling the development of an outstanding next generation weapon system.”  (Picture source: MBDA)

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